A historic photograph shows Corsairs under construction on the floor of the Vought-Sikorsky assembly line in what is now the Stratford Army engine plant.

A historic photograph shows Corsairs under construction on the floor of the Vought-Sikorsky assembly line in what is now the Stratford Army engine plant.

Photo: Contributed Photo, ST

Group plans housing, retail at ex-Army plant

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STRATFORD -- The group in talks to buy the long-vacant Army engine plant has unveiled new, albeit vague, details about its vision to transform the brownfield into a mixed-use development suitable for housing, retail and manufacturing.

Point Stratford Renewal, a collaboration of three Connecticut companies, won approval from the General Services Administration last week to enter into a purchase-and-sale agreement to redevelop the sprawling waterfront property. The companies joined on the project are Plainville-based Loureiro Properties, Hartford-based Development Resources and Greenwich-based Sedgwick Partners.

"PSR intends to design and implement a transformational master plan for mixed-use development that will meet the economic and recreational needs of the Town of Stratford and that will respect the heritage of the site," according to a news release from the company's public relations firm. "The redevelopment will include civic, live, work and play elements -- which will best suit the area and its residents. The developer has committed to coordinate its planning efforts with town and state officials to ensure a planning regimen that is transparent and open to the community for input."

The property has more than 1.5 million square feet of industrial buildings, some of which the developer will attempt to restore for light industrial use. The developers also said they plan to utilize green technologies to conserve and generate energy, manage storm water and minimize the environmental impacts of traffic and parking.

The pending deal is the latest in a long line of proposals to rejuvenate the 78-acre parcel, which is located between the mouth of the Housatonic River and Sikorsky Airport. If this developer is successful, the project could bring new opportunities for jobs, housing and recreation to a town that for years has been stuck with an abandoned hazardous waste dump at what was once the site of one of the region's biggest employers.

Michael Ryan, a managing director at the real estate investment and advisory firm Sedgwick, said he and his partners are cautiously optimistic about the sale. They have a master plan, but Ryan said what is ultimately built on the property will be dictated by the market and the interest level of potential tenants.

"I think that the best thing to do here is try to hold back the specifics because there's no set plan," Ryan said in a phone interview. "Right now, we're waiting for the Army to present us with a purchase- and-sale agreement so we can negotiate that. As you can imagine, working with the Army and the GSA, everything takes a while."

The partners met with Mayor John A. Harkins on Tuesday to discuss their vision for the property.

"We are excited about working with PSR and shepherding this economic development initiative through to its completion," Harkins said in a prepared statement. "This redevelopment project will kickstart Stratford's economy and provide much-needed jobs and tax revenue for Stratford residents."

The Army plant has a long history in aviation and military history. It was built in 1929 by Sikorsky Aircraft for construction of seaplanes. The seaplanes, including the "Flying Clipper," were used during the two world wars, pioneering international routes across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The plant closed in 1998 and has since sat unused while the taxpayers foot the multimillion dollar bill for utilities and a maintenance crew to tend to the property.

The biggest obstacle to the property's sale has been the federal government's unwillingness to detoxify the land. The cost of cleaning up the factory grounds has been estimated in the millions.

But the outcome this time could be different. Ryan said the Army has indicated it is willing to funnel some money toward remediation. Whether and how much the government will pay for cleanup will be part of the purchase and sale agreement negotiation process, he said.